Telecommunications networks are important for providing global data and voice communication. Monitoring the networks is important to ensure reliable operation, fault detection, timely mitigation of potentially malicious activities and more. Network taps are known for connecting to networks and providing a port to monitor the communication traffic on the network. Network monitors are known for providing information to other network elements.
In order to maintain the integrity of network monitors, it is important to implement a fault detection technique where network components can signal an alarm in the event of a fault in another component. This is important because a faulty component may not provide a reliable alarm signal, for example, if the power supply fails and the component is without power to provide the alarm. In addition, when a network tap is inserted into a communications network, a failure in one link does not alert the active network devices on other links that a destination device may be inoperable. This results in a blind fault condition and may result in a network device continuously attempting communication with an inoperable device; as a result, the network may be fed with data packets that are never delivered to the intended destination.
What is needed is a network component employing a network link fault detector that provides integrity for signaling the fault of other network components so that the data packets can be re-routed to properly arrive at an intended destination.